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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Saskatoon leads with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,350/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Saskatoon leads with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,350/month.
Saskatoon ranks #1 with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,350/month.
The median city is Laval — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 101 (0 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Saskatoon at 60/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Sunshine hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saskatoon | 92 | $1,350 | $68,000 | 2449 |
| 2 | Calgary | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 | 2396 |
| 3 | Regina | 90 | $1,250 | $66,000 | 2365 |
| 4 | Winnipeg | 89 | $1,300 | $64,000 | 2353 |
| 5 | Edmonton | 102 | $1,600 | $78,000 | 2345 |
| 6 | Victoria | 115 | $2,100 | $72,000 | 2183 |
| 7 | Toronto | 120 | $2,500 | $78,000 | 2066 |
| 8 | Mississauga | 112 | $2,200 | $76,000 | 2066 |
| 9 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 | 2060 |
| 10 | Montreal | 98 | $1,500 | $62,000 | 2051 |
| 11 | Laval | 96 | $1,350 | $64,000 | 2051 |
| 12 | Hamilton | 105 | $1,700 | $72,000 | 2003 |
| 13 | Vancouver | 128 | $2,600 | $76,000 | 1938 |
| 14 | Surrey | 118 | $2,200 | $70,000 | 1938 |
| 15 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 | 1918 |
| 16 | Quebec City | 92 | $1,200 | $60,000 | 1916 |
| 17 | Saint John | 86 | $1,100 | $56,000 | 1894 |
| 18 | Fredericton | 88 | $1,150 | $58,000 | 1887 |
| 19 | Halifax | 95 | $1,550 | $62,000 | 1886 |
| 20 | Charlottetown | 88 | $1,200 | $56,000 | 1818 |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Saskatoon stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 92 and median income of $68,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
Layer in taxes, though, and the math changes. the spread across all 21 cities is 2 points on the cost index. St. John's sits at the other end with index 90 and rent of $1,100/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 71/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. That said, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Saskatoon — cost index 92, rent $1,350/mo, income $68,000, QoL 60/100.
Calgary — cost index 108, rent $1,800/mo, income $82,000, QoL 62/100.
Regina — cost index 90, rent $1,250/mo, income $66,000, QoL 58/100.
Winnipeg — cost index 89, rent $1,300/mo, income $64,000, QoL 59/100.
Edmonton — cost index 102, rent $1,600/mo, income $78,000, QoL 59/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Saskatoon leads with 60/100, reflecting its safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Saskatoon (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,350/mo. St. John's (#21) has index 90 and rent $1,100/mo — a 2-point gap.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.